Birthday day began well with a glorious sunrise. We had
breakfast, packed up, checked out and drove to Cheetah Outreach. If you know me, you will know we arrived at
the opening hour and did exactly as I hoped to do. We bought an “adult cheetah
encounter” and a “cheetah cub encounter.”
It is like being with God’s primary lieutenant. The purpose
of the “cheetah ambassadors” is to wean native people off “bush meat” (wild animals).
Cheetah Outreach takes cheetah babies that are rejected by their mothers from
all over South Africa and raises them, as well as sick cheetahs, as
ambassadors. The money we paid for our two encounters ($35 for the two) goes to
further their charity.
The best part of patting the cheetahs was inducing one adult
and one cub to purr. They purr with a deep loud purr and I could feel it in
their body. (Only cheetahs, pumas and snow leopards purr in the big cat
family.)
Then we briefly visited the small town of Stellenbosch en
route to our lunch at a winery. On the way, Steve visited Rust en Vrede winery and bought some wine. I read more about my new
best friend, Cleopatra.
Then we drove, got lost, drove some more, got lost again,
and wound up in Shisa Guest Farm in the teeny weeny city of Tulbagh. It is a
neat/odd little place in the middle of absolutely nowhere and I quite like it —
although the getting lost part sucked. Do you wonder if we argued with all the
tension, we ex partners, Steve and I?
We drove into Tulbagh for dinner—there were no cars at all
around; we are in the middle of nowhere—and drove home under the most crowded sky imaginable. Steve
was struck because Orion is upside down.
This is one of the three cubs we joined in their compound.
Pedro. A four-year old adult.
Above and below: Stellenbosch.
Bwana loved his tomato ginger soup starter.
Bwana's calamari.
Bwana's fish cakes.
Steve's salmon.
Our Birthday dessert assortment.
Bwana talks to his friend, Bruce, via Skype on Bwana's 65th birthday.
Cub.
Finally, a dream come true.
Adorable meercats.
These magnificent Adatolian shepherd dogs guard the flocks from all predators no matter how big or challenging.
At our place at Tulbagh.
My God, it looks gruelling. I feel for you - roughing it in the bush, all that dreadful sun and unappealing food and such basic accommodation. With hopes that your second 65 years bring you a few more of life's pleasures!
ReplyDeleteThe cheetah has always been my fav animal. In my 3rd grade report, I said they could purr and the teacher said they can't. 30 yrs later, the truth comes out! What did it feel like to pet them? Like a horse?
ReplyDeleteLooks like a most wonderful way to celebrate a pensionable age.
ReplyDelete